At an art show, one wouldn’t expect to find a teenager selling their artwork, but a sophomore from Carlmont has strived to break that stereotype.
The annual Art and Wine Festival, held in San Carlos, assembled various individuals to sell their works of art. Evan Ajuria, a sophomore, was among them.
“There is so much creativity and expression at this event,” said Allison Crowley, a buyer. “It’s like I am finding a whole bunch of treasure.”
This entertaining festival, which was facilitated from Oct. 6 to Oct. 7, is home to over 250 artisan pop-ups and has been an ongoing tradition for 28 years.
For eight years, Ajuria has been working to showcase his photography skills. Since he moved to the Bay Area, he had always loved visiting the Art and Wine Festival, which is why he chose it to be his first art show.
My goal is to inspire young people to pursue their passions and find a purpose.
— Evan Ajuria
“Whenever I go somewhere to take photos, I do not aim for one specific photo. I go and take photos of everything that catches my eye. Then sometimes I will be lucky enough to capture at least one photo that will make the entire trip worth it,” Ajuria said. “The best photos come when you least expect it. That is why I try to always have some sort of camera on hand.”
Ajuria’s passion for photography earned him a spot in this year’s annual art show, and the fantasy to become an exhibitor himself became a successful reality.
“What I enjoyed most about doing this art show is that I got to get my name out there and introduce myself to many new people,” Ajuria said. “It was a very good platform to spread my personal brand.”
Ajuria’s high-quality photos left many viewers shocked at the amount of young talent he possesses.
“The photos that I enjoy photographing most are definitely street photos as well as editorial photos,” Ajuria said. “I love street photos because I get to walk around and capture people’s emotions and perspectives.”
Inspired by Ajuria’s impressive works and entrepreneurship, Ken Castle, a San Carlos City Council Candidate, is instituting a San Carlos teen night.
“What got me started on this line of thinking was being located at a booth that was directly across from a vendor who was selling professional-looking, black and white photography. [It] turns out that the photographer is a 15-year-old student at Carlmont. His visualization and imaging abilities are years ahead of his age,” Castle said.
Ajuria’s outlook on photography has been a driving force throughout his career and continues to make him stand out from other photographers above his age.
Ajuria said, “My goal is to inspire young people to pursue their passions and find a purpose.”
